There are stories and moments and ideas painted with a range
of brushstrokes, all the way from the broad to the ultra-thin. Often they take a
springboard from the concrete and leave on a tangent into the abstract and the
absurd, which allows for some fine word-play and fun interpretation.

Many of the pieces strike a fine rhythm, which suggests that
they not only read well but might be enjoyed even more when heard in
performance.

Humour is often brought into play. It allows for a lot of
fun, but also shines a light on prickly issues and less savoury snapshots.
Lurking within this body of work are political shouts and calls for change, as
well as a solid defence of poets and their oft overlooked value to the world.

The variety on offer means that there sure to be something
for everyone. Even those who don’t normally turn to poetry will likely find
this to be an accessible and pleasing journey.

Wednesday, 27 April 2016

Jack Laramie drives his horse-box home into Texas. His
welcome at a diner is far from warm and there are fireworks from the off.

As Jack dusts himself down, he encounters Mr Othmer. Othmer
is an old rancher who has seen it all. During the great depression, he learned
that it’s no fun being down at the bottom of the pile and this has taught him
to be humble and generous. He takes Jack on as a hired hand and the drifter
detective allows himself to settle down for a spell.

Dynamics change when Mr Othmer’s daughter is threatened and
protection money is demanded. In the small town where they live, there’s only
one hood big enough to do such a thing and this hood has previous history with
Mr Othmer. Jack decides to intervene in this personal battle and is soon sucked
into a vortex of family secrets and manipulation. He also finds himself in
trouble with a bunch of hard men with no moral scruples whatsoever.

Torn And Frayed (US) continues the series very nicely indeed. The
glimpses into American history are nicely woven into the thread and the spirit
of Cash Laramie is ever-present and always welcome.

Gritty, moody and atmospheric with bursts of action punctuating the tale. Here’s looking forward to book 8.

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

'Ronnie Swordfish getting killed has got me radar bangin through the roof, like all them eyes I see in the shadows, everywhere I go, they're all opened up at once - all at the same time.'Abide
With Me is a special book by a special writer. That was released way back
in 2012. It excited the hell out of me when I read it, so when I sat down with
the sequel I was a little nervous.

April
Skies (US) continues the story of John Sissons. There’s a big jump in time from
when he was last on the page and there’s been a lot of water under the bridge.
The still waters, mind, are ever-present and they run about as deep as is possible
within a human being.

John remains loyal in all the right places. His family and
friends are his moons and he’s happiest when they’re orbiting close by. His
dead father is still the brightest star in his sky.

John’s working the markets with his stepdad. Adapting to life
out of jail. Keen to live a normal life, yet desperate to avoid being ground
down by the routines and obligations he sees everywhere. Unfortunately, he’s
haunted by ghosts from his colourful past. Those from his future become more
threatening every day. As the story progresses and Ronnie Swordfish is killed
in prison, the past and future bleed into each other until they’re duelling at
screaming pitch. As John prepares for the inevitable backlash caused by
Swordfish’s demise, the fabric of everything he holds dear begins to crumble.
The foundations of his family, friends, budding romances, factory work and his
beloved West Ham United all wobble as he slowly unravels. John’s need to hold
it all together is what provides the tension and drama because we know he’s
never going to be able to manage.

As the story comes together and John’s fears materialise, the
tension is palpable. It’s real edge-of-the-seat stuff. I couldn’t bear it at
times, yet equally couldn’t look away. The whole piece is utterly compelling
and ultimately rather beautiful.

The cover says a lot about April Skies. It shows a factory
billowing out smoke underneath a claret sky. It’s a sunset of sorts. Holds that
point between the dark and the light in the way Ian Ayris does with his prose.

It’s told in the first person and this allows a real intimacy
with a narrator who is open and frank about everything. You won’t read many
better central characters and you won’t often feel this close to a protagonist,
I reckon.

You really don’t need to have read the first book in the
series to enjoy this second. Ayris makes gentle references to Abide With Me all
the way through. They speak for themselves and offer enough of background for
the uninitiated to keep them straight. As for my nerves in relation to the
sequel, I should have known better. I loved Abide With Me, but I think April
Skies is even better.

A gently caveat. There’s a lot of swearing in this book. It
adds a level authenticity and layers of character to the story. If you don’t
like profanity, this one’s not for you. I only mention this because I hope this
novel will gather the plaudits and loving reviews it deserves and I wouldn’t
want those raves to be tarnished by folk who couldn’t see beyond the language
to what really matters. To me it’s just part of the purity of the work.

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Prison.
A hurricane. A horny cop. A naked priest. An angry cab driver. Two wanna-be
criminals. A speeding train. A hot soldering iron. A peeping tom. A fed-up
girl. A gun dealer. A homeless lady. An empty shotgun. A girlfriend with other
plans. One pissed-off mom. Two pissed-off drug dealers. A bitchy landlord. And
48 crazy hours.

Slick and Bo are being taken away to prison when a hurricane
intervenes in their favour. There’s an accident and the opportunity to escape presents
itself like an act of divine intervention.

There are no
loyalties between the criminal pair. Slick leaves his friend for dead and sets
off on the journey to collect the cash he’s got stashed back home.

Also waiting back home is his girlfriend Emma. Emma Lives in
a bizarre lodging house where the owner and her son pay close attention to
everything that’s going on. Emma can’t wait to get to the new life a whole heap
of cash can offer her. What lies between her and the money is a handsome cop
who is watching her every move so that he can snare Slick when he gets home.
Emma and cop become tangled in a steamy affair that takes both pairs of eyes
off the ball, but at least this may be the start of a beautiful friendship that
might lead to a happy ending.

Bo manages to save himself. He’s also heading for the money
and has high hopes for a new life.

As you might imagine, the journeys of the central characters
aren’t straightforward. They get into tight spots wherever they turn. Each new
episode is packed with drama and tension. As soon as one problem is solved,
another stares them in the face. There are desperate acts and explosive scenes
from start to finish. It’s action-packed, fun and addictive. The pace is break-neck
and the humour dark. Beetner does a great job of filling his characters with
life and uses his limitless imagination to turn the screws.

This one definitely gives the reader a run for their money. As
for the people in the book, they get to sprint with a limp all the way to a
finish line of razor wire where they’ll find a fiery and unexpected conclusion.

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

I started reading April
Skies (US)
by Ian Ayris yesterday. It’s the follow
up to the incredible Abide With Me. Published by Caffeine Nights, it’s
available for pre-order just now and will get its full release tomorrow. So far
it’s delicious and I’m so glad to be lost in a world created by Ayris again.
The voices be creates are really stunning and very original. Check it out.

I also noticed that the second book in my Southsiders series
is also up for pre-order and is due for release this Friday. It’s published by
Blasted Heath and it’s called Southsiders: Jailhouse
Rock. It’s currently available at for
£1.59 here in the UK ($2.99
in the US). I don’t know what the pricing plans are, but from experience I’d
say that the price is likely to rise in the near future. If you started the
journey with Jesse Garon, I hope you’ll tag along for the next episode in his
life.

I read the first, The Murder Bag, and wrote quite a long
review for that one. In some ways, I feel I could duplicate that and could save
myself some effort.

The Slaughter Man opens with the brutal and sinister murder
of a wealthy family. It’s very dark and immediately engaging. The incident throws
up several points of interest: the weapon used by the killer is a cattle stunner
used in the slaughter house; the youngest of the children is not among the dead
and his whereabouts are unknown; the family are wrapped in immense wealth, happiness
and minor celebrity. These elements lead to an interesting case with lots of
twists and turns.

Max Wolfe is an engaging character. I do rather like his
approach and his attitude. He and his team delve into the world of the rich, a
community of travellers and a world of prostitution and sex slavery. The
contrast between each area is of interest and put together well.

Where the book falls down for me, just like in the opening
novel in the series, is in the jarring extras that distract from the pace of
the story. It may well be that for many readers this hasn’t been an issue. For
me, it’s a major flaw. Once I was aware of it, each occurrence had me vexed.
There are countless explanations of the roles within the police force and their
procedures. Each acronym is explained in more detail than is necessary. There
are many examples of research clogging up the development of the drama – the research
is there for all to see and it would be more appropriate in a London guide book
than in this novel. The visits to the Black Museum feel tired now that they’re
so frequent (and provide more of the research chunks that cause obstruction).
There are also a few too many coincidences in this world for my liking.

My feeling is that there’s a really good book hiding in
here. That the series could go on to be something special if a talented and
experienced editor were put onto the job. The reason I think this is that there
was enough in the character for me to return for book two and I did find the investigation
to be compelling and very entertaining. There are also some very nicely handled
resolutions that are emotional and also satisfying.

It’s rare for me to have such mixed feelings about a story
and I’d be interested to hear if these thoughts resonate with you.

My overriding reaction is that I’m glad I’ve been on the
journey so far and that I’m unlikely to follow Max into his next investigation
unless I see some reviews that persuade me otherwise.